Union women of Power to the Workers and MAAN, as well as dozens of women groups joined forces to call for a rolling strike of women against racism and violence. The protest centered on acts of violence which emerged in the backslash of the war, tearing apart communities especially in joint cities like Lod, Accre and Jaffa.
The women called for a stoppage of work for one hour Sunday May 23rd. This important initiative took place as the cease fire between Israel And Hamas was announced. The war lasted 11 days caused hundreds of civilian casualties on both sides but mainly in Gaza – where thousands were injured and a major destruction of houses and infrastructure would eventually make life in Gaza even more difficult. Similarly in the West Bank and Jerusalem demonstrations of Palestinians erupted to protest the war the threat to evict Palestinian families in Sheikh Jarah, and police attacks in Al Aqsa.
While Hamas rockets where bombing Israeli cities, and Israeli war planes were attacking Gaza, scenes hardy seen before of communal violence between Arab and Jewish civilians in Israel took place. These attacks where no doubt fueled by Jewish supremacist vigilantes as well as Arab youth incited by irresponsible forces.
On this background the call of women to end this animosity is very significant. The initiative to call for a symbolic one hour strike and picket lines in different parts of the country was initiated by the feminist forum of Power to the Workers union and many others like MAAN, Green Course (a leading green group), The New Israel Fund, Itach – Maaki women group, Standing Together, Sindyanna of Galilee, and many other organizations.
On Sunday May 23 many women – in private businesses, public institutions and in NPO’s took part in the strike. Two of the women who joined the protest in Haifa were Naama Ornai (Jewish) and Jasmine Athamaneh (Arab). Both of them are teachers in the bilingual kindergarten of the Hand in Hand Association in Haifa. Hand in Hand is a national private school network which educates children of Jewish and Arab children. Naama and Jasmine are members of the workers’ committee of the Hand in Hand association organized by MAAN. These two women were also central in the negotiations that led recently to the signature of a new (second) collective Agreement.
MAAN Workers Association was proud to be part of this initiative which is the only sane solution for Jews and Arabs in this common land.
